A Different Ending
by Damion Starr
Summary: What if Scud hadn't betrayed Blade and Whistler? Rated for language. First Blade fic, so please be gentle!


A Different Ending  
  
Author's Note: Like the title says, a different ending to "Blade 2". First part takes place right where Blade and Whistler find out Scud's Damaskinos' familiar, second part takes place at the end, after all the fighting with Damaskinos is done.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own "Blade 2", because if I did Scud would not have betrayed Blade or died.  
  
"Reinhardt," Blade growled from the floor, bleeding. "You can kiss your ass-"  
  
At the sight of the all-too-familiar detonator, which the vampire killer had been threatening the vampire with all during their brief "alliance", Reinhardt went into action. In a blink, he grabbed Scud, pinned the younger man's arms behind his back, and plunged his fangs into the tender flesh of his throat. Scud's eyes widened and his jaw dropped before he finally found his voice. Blade and Whistler both grimaced as the young stoner's screams; high, terrified, and full of anguish, filled the room. Blade's hand, still clutching the detonator, dropped to the floor. When Reinhardt saw this, he ignored his thirst and removed his mouth from the pale neck.  
  
"That's right, Blade," He hissed, his teeth stained crimson. "You try anything, your little friend gets it. You wouldn't want something to happen to him, would you?"  
  
Scud sagged pitifully in the vampire's powerful grip, eyes rolled up toward the ceiling so more white showed than anything else. That image tugged at Blade's humanity. Sure, Scud was a little stoner, but he was intelligent, moreso than even he gave himself credit for, and he meant well.  
  
The daywalker slid the detonator across the floor until it hit Reinhardt's boot. The vampire favored the vampire killer with a bloodstained smile before he released his prey and stooped to collect his prize. Scud collapsed bonelessly to the floor.  
  
"Is he all right?" Whistler asked, concerned in spite of himself. Blade glanced at the unconscious mechanic and nodded, then glared at Reinhardt openly. The vampire smiled back.  
  
"You know, I really don't understand what you see in this little fucker," He kicked Scud in the ribs, illiciting a growl from Blade. "He's an idiot, really. We offered him everything: eternal life, protection; all he had to do was sell you out. But no, he had to be all "noble" and "loyal"," Reinhardt actually did those words in air quotes, grimacing in distaste with each one. "Dumbass," The vampire finished with another kick to the prone form's ribs. This time, Blade lunged at Reinhardt with a roar, only to be tasered into unconsciousness.  
  
Blade and Whistler carried the limp Scud between them. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Whistler asked, but Blade said nothing. The two men laid the younger one on the floor of an inclosed room off the workshop and Blade pulled out an injector and vial. "You know that this might not work, right?" Whistler tried again. Blade only spared him a glance before injecting the stoner with an accelerated retro-viral detox.  
  
"You know how this works, Scud," Blade told the sleeping kid. "In the morning, those blinds are going to open whether you're cured or not," The vampire killer stood and left the room quickly. Whistler followed, considerably slower, closing and locking the door behind him.  
  
Whistler watched as Blade loaded a gun. Well, not just any gun. The gun that the old man had used on himself, the gun that Blade had almost needed to use on that same old man...the gun that Blade may have to use on the young man in the other room in a few hours. "Are you sure you can do this?" Blade said nothing. "Blade," The tone in Whistler's voice made Blade stop, then, finally, look up. "Look me in the eye and tell me that, if you have to, you can kill him,"  
  
"If I have to, I won't be killing Scud. He would've died on the floor of Damaskinos' lair," Blade slammed the cartridge home. "I'll just be killing another vampire,"  
  
Blade turned and walked away. Whistler made no move to follow.  
  
The door creaked and groaned open. Blade, sunglasses in place, stepped into the dark room, reached out blindly, and hit a button by the doorway. The blinds opened, allowing sunlight to chase away the darkness. Blade gazed around the room until he finally saw what he was looking for. Scud.  
  
The young mechanic was still laying where Blade and Whistler had put him the night before, only now there was a square of sunlight around him. Relief flooded the hardened daywalker at the sight. Scud wasn't ablaze. The detox had worked. Blade removed his sunglasses, set those and his gun aside, and crossed the floor to his young protege's side.  
  
Scud stretched in his sleep before he slowly opened his eyes. "Hey, B," He yawned.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
"Like shit. Got a smoke?"  
  
Blade couldn't help it; he smiled. "Sure,"  
  
Author's Note: Review, please! 


End file.
